Customisation & efficiency
11 QTTabBar
A feature that should already be integrated into Windows Explorer is the use of tabs. Every time you open Windows Explorer, another window opens, and before you know it, your PC is flooded with pesky pop-ups. QTTabBar adds tabs to Windows Explorer, just like you see in a web browser, making file searching and transferring a much more fluid experience. Head to the “View” button in the taskbar, then to the “Options” drop-down, and click “QTTabBar” to enable it. Now just right-click a folder to open it in a new tab. It still looks and feels the same, but with the added benefit of tabs. http://qttabbar.wikidot.com
12 f.lux
Blue light isn’t great for your eyes, and using any sort of screen later on in the day or through the night can cause eye strain, which can massively impact your productivity, procrastination, gaming, or whatever else you are getting up to. What f.lux does is change the colour temperature of your screen to match the time of day. This, in theory, should cause less eye strain, resulting in fewer headaches and a better night’s sleep. And, of course, it’s free, so it gets two thumbs up from us! https://justgetflux.com
13 Rainmeter
An all-arounder for great visual PC customisation. You can add skins to your desktop to make your computer your own and personalise it to your heart’s content. Rainmeter is full of widgets to add to the desktop that give you advantages over the standard theme. You can add hardware-monitoring widgets to always keep an eye on your PC’s performance, or add clocks, calendars, audio visualisers, and more. If you like making things your own and want to experiment with desktop customisation, Rainmeter is a great shout. www.rainmeter.net
14 Fences
This one certainly sits on the fence between customisation and efficiency…. Ouch, that was painful – sorry! Anyway, Fences is a neat little piece of software that organises your desktop icons and shortcuts into folders, much like those on your phone’s home screen. Unfortunately, the latest version requires a few bucks, but you can go ahead and download an older version of the software for free or try the 30-day free trial option. www.oldversion.com/ windows/fences-1-0-1
15 Folder Marker
If you struggle with organising your folders, this is another tool that can help you with getting everything sorted. It enables you to change icons and add color to your Windows folders. When working on large projects that use a load of different folders, it can be a pain navigating your way through the mess. Now you can right-click a folder, click “Folder Marker,” then change the priority status or work type of the folder to make everything clear and tidy. It’s a small program but it can really help with work efficiency. https://foldermarker.com/en/ folder-marker-free/
16 EarTrumpet
With a funky name like that, it’s a shame the app isn’t quite as exciting as its moniker implies, but it’s a nifty and clever addition to your setup nonetheless. EarTrumpet is a sound icon that sits in the taskbar, but as it looks similar to the existing one, it’s best to
remove that first. What this app does over the standard sound control is change the volume of different sound sources. You can already do this if you’re prepared to route around in the settings, but it’s so much easier with EarTrumpet. www.microsoft.com
17 ShareX
There are plenty of screencapturing programs available, but ShareX is a particularly feature-packed example. It can capture screenshots and record with several options for how you want to capture, including full-screen, active window, active monitor, window menu, monitor menu, screen recording (GIF), scrolling capture, and webpage capture. This app makes it super easy to capture what you need, especially when paired with the provided shortcuts that you can find in the hotkey settings. www.microsoft.com
18 Everything
Windows search is definitely an essential part of the operating system, but sometimes it can be painfully slow, and isn’t always the easiest solution for finding exactly what you need on your PC. With Everything, it is very easy to find what you are looking for, making the whole process so much quicker. Another simple yet effective alternative to improve your overall PC experience. www.voidtools.com
19 MyFolders
This effective tool adds a context menu that enables you to access your favorite folders from any right-click. Using MyFolders’ interface, you can add your folders while organising their location. Once activated, and with your selected folders added, you can now right-click anywhere, click “MyFolders,” then “Go to,” and you will find your selected folders available from the menu. A quick and easy to find what you need. www.coretechnologies.com/ products/MyFolders/
20 7 + Taskbar Tweaker
This taskbar customisation tool falls right in the line of sight of people who like to have tight control over how their PC’s interface looks and behaves. It makes your taskbar more interactive, giving you options to change the function of current buttons, alter how mouse buttons interact with the taskbar, change thumbnail previews, add functions to empty space, and much more. Add this free piece of software to interact with your PC exactly how you want. https://rammichael.com/7taskbar-tweaker